Workout Q&A

Fitness Doctrine Q&A Workout Intensity

Where To Start With Your Exercise Program

I love getting your emails. Thanks. And keep sending them in.

I have a good one to share with you today. It’s from Pamela, and she’s new to my methods but not to exercises. She has a great question that you’ve probably thought about yourself.

She brings up a good question about where to start and how much to do.

It’s directed towards working out and losing weight. But I’ll quickly go into the nutrition side as well.

Here’s Pamela’s question…

"Question for you...

Before finding your program. I had started to go to step class 5 days a week instead of just 3 days a week (6 weeks ago), that is when I started to loose the weight.

I had been going to a body sculpting/aerobics class for over a year.  Sooo... should I be doing the beginner or the advance workout (of your program)?

Thank you,

Pamela"

 

Here’s my response…

Great question Pamela.

Like most questions the answer is…

it depends.

 

Down And Dirty

If you’re looking to get ready for a wedding, vacation, or some other special event that has a hard deadline. Things are going to be different.

The time you have and how far you have to go to reach your goal will dictate your plan of attack.

Chances are you’ll need something quick and most likely, drastic. Things will have to be taken to extremes.

Not what I would recommend. Definitely not a plan you can maintain after your big event has come and gone.

I do offer personalized diet and workout plans, but I’m not a big fan of a shotgun approach. So I don’t offer solutions for a quick fix.

 

Imagine This

Take a second and think about it like this…

A friend tells you how great hiking is for getting you sexy and in shape. The combination of fresh air and exercise is everything you need to look and feel great.

You enjoy the outdoors and nature. So it seems a great fit.

You’re in.

You’re pumped. You think how great you’ll feel. And how great you’ll look.

In your excitement you rush out and buy all kinds of books and gear.

This adds to the excitement.

Every book you read mentions one mountain. Not just any mountain. But the most difficult, yet most rewarding climb in the world.

The pictures are phenomenal. The stories are unreal. The testimonials of past climbers are incredible .

You’re sold.

The next day you’re off. You set out to climb the toughest mountain in the world.

You fly ½ way around the world. Find a guide and start up the mountain.

 

Your First Week

The first week of climbing is tough.

You’re tired and sore.

The book is the only thing that gets you through.  The phenomenal pictures and the inspirational stories keep you excited about your goal. The summit is going to be amazing.

 

Another week passes.

Fatigue is setting in. Excitement dwindles. Now it’s just hard work.

Doubt creeps in…

The aches, the pains, and the hunger. You wonder if it’s all worth it.

Another week passes. You only feel worse, and the peak isn’t even in sight.

Up to this point it’s been all pain and little to no reward.

Time to throw in the towel.

 

Tough Workouts Run The Same Course

I see the same thing happen with exercise and nutrition.

People are often excited when they get started. They can’t wait to get their dream physique. Eager to reach that goal they commit themselves 110% and follow the more is better model.

Calories are cut to the bone. Workouts are pushed to Olympic status.

But all doesn’t go as planned.

With calories cut too low it doesn’t take long to feel weak, tired, and irritable from a constantly grumbling belly.

With you constantly feeling beat up, sore, and exhausted. It doesn’t take long to throw in the towel.

 

Tina Says Nice And Easy

In my opinion a long term solution is by far the best bet.

Remember, Summer Abs Are Made in the Winter.

If you want to feel and look great for the rest of your life, there’s no rush. Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither will your dream body.

I recommend you take a page out of Tina Turner’s book. As she say’s in Proud Mary she likes to start out nice and easy.

Tina was definitely on to something there.

  • Start small.
  • Start easy.

A small drop in calories. Make sure you include recipes you’ll enjoy. Don’t go straight to boiled chicken breasts and broccoli.

Ease into your workouts.

Easy is something you can do indefinitely. It’s easier to sustain for the long run.

 

Time For Change

Starting off easy allows you to ramp things up.

If workouts get too easy. It’s easy to increase intensity. There’s plenty of room to take it up a notch without killing yourself.

 

If your diet needs more tweaking you have left yourself plenty of room to make further reductions without feeling like you’re starving yourself.

 

When you start slow and easy, if ever there comes a time when things have stalled or slowed down and you need a little push. You have plenty of wiggle room to step things up a notch and get back on track.

Not something you can do if you already have the pedal to the floor. Or you’re sitting on top of the mountain.

Where can you go from there?

 

That’s how I approach my training and the clients I work with.

 

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Takin' it nice and slow,

Jason

Jason, CSCS

 

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